Wrapped in Red
by heartofsteele
Summary: 2k14 Movieverse. Raphril. Set during and after the events at the end of the movie. After a near death experience, Raphael and April are broken and trying to move forward. Everything is going fine until April vanishes, and Raphael's life takes a downward spiral. Can his brothers pull him together in time to save April? Warning: Spoilers! Rated for later on, cursing, and violence!
1. Falling for Her

Chapter 1: Falling for Her

Author's Note/Disclaimer: SPOILER ALERT FOR THIS FIC IN RELATION TO THE 2014 MOVIE! If you haven't seen it, you don't want to read this...spoilers! Sooo...it's an excuse for y'all to go see the movie! Hiya folks! This is my first TMNT fanfic, so be gentle! It's revolved around the events towards the end of the 2k14 movieverse. It's a Raphril fic! I just watched the movie for the third time today, and I can't help but love the small moments we get of them! I want MORE! So I am writing this from Raph's 3rd person (turtle) perspective towards her. I don't own anything TMNT, and I didn't copy the last scene line for line...I changed it up to be more Raphril-centric! ENJOY, my lovelies! If you want me to continue, let me know!

* * *

"Don't move a muscle...we stay where we are!" Leonardo's encouraging, resolute words barely registered in Raphael's mind. He watched the powerful samurai striding towards his older brother and leader, and his anger surged.

"Leo!" he warned in a growl. "I'm going to let go!" He was about to explode with rage, but it would mean the collapse of the metal above them, and the toxins would leak out into New York City and kill innocents. Innocents like April O'Neil. He stayed where he was, holding up his piece of metal shakily. His muscles strained to keep up the massive weight pushing against him, but he thought of their Sensei, and it fueled his strength. Shredder began to strike Leo in the gut repeatedly, which was causing Leo pain, and he shifted his weight to try and move from the brunt of the hits. He did not break, no matter how much the punches increased in force. Raphael had to give his brother credit. Leo was a force to be reckoned with when he was determined, and he was not going to go down easily.

"SHREDDER!" A familiar and distinctly female voice pierced the air from the other side of the rooftop, making Raphael's blood run cold as he froze. Everyone looked to see April holding the container of green mutagen tight in her grasp, including a fierce Shredder, who tensed and tightened his metal fists at the sight of her.

_No...April..._ Raph panicked when Shredder turned his full wrath and attention on the beautiful and courageous woman. He moved an inch towards her, and the falling piece tumbled harder against him. He grunted in effort but never took his eyes off of April. What the hell did she think she was doing?! Shredder would kill her without blinking an eye!

When Shredder jumped into the air and landed next to her, she almost took a step back, her eyes widening at his speed and agility. Raph and the others watched all but helpless as she stood her ground in front of their mortal enemy. She gripped her leverage tighter and tighter and eyed the armored menace who was threatening her. Raphael glanced over at Leo for a split second, seeing the many emotions on his face and knowing that he was trying to decide what to do next. However, he did not need to think for long, as the beams above them cracked and gave out, toppling over past the turtles. They all watched, horrified, as it fell towards April and their enemy.

Dust began to gather around them, and they hopelessly fought it off with their hands to get a clear view of the scene happening about 50 feet away. April glanced over at the four brothers in distress, trying to look for their large shapes in the dust. At that moment, while April was distracted with the well-being of her friends, Shredder moved quickly. Raphael yelled out for her to move, seeing the larger shape running towards the smaller one of April.

"April! Look out!" Mikey cried out, running up beside Raphael. Mikey called her by her name, and Raphael never saw Mikey with a serious face. It was alarming. Shredder body-slammed April right off of the roof, sending the four mutants into panic mode. There was a horrified scream that ripped from April's throat, and Raphael's chest tightened painfully with a mixture of horror for April and fury at Shredder. The dust thickened as more debris fell and gathered around them, making them unable to see much of anything.

"Raph...Raph!" Donnie shook him from his terrifying mental images of April falling to her doom. She had trusted them, put her life in their hands, and they blew it. When April had first flashed into their lives, he was dismissive, bitter, and suspicious, especially of her. That was, until they heard Splinter's shattering explanation: April was their savior. Their hogosha. She had always been a part of who they were, and since then, she had proven herself a true ally and a friend to each of them. If he was being honest with himself, though, he'd admit that she wasn't simply his friend. He had witnessed her trying to save Splinter when they were attacked by the Foot Clan and Shredder. She had screamed out his name before Shredder started to crush his shell. She was afraid for him. She wanted to distract Shredder to save Raph, the same turtle who was threatening to harm her the first time that they met.

He found himself feeling something for April O'Neil that was turning him into an overprotective soft shell towards her. It was the way she cared for him, for all of them, even though she barely knew who they were now that they were grown and mutated. She had such a kind heart but never just lay down to take things lightly. He admired the sheer determination that she fought with when she had an idea in her mind.

"Raphael! The dust cleared! Let's go!" Leo's voice snapped him back into reality, and he ran right for the edge of the roof just as he heard a glorious and yet concerning sound. April was screaming. It didn't sound too far away, which meant that she was alive, but she was also in trouble. What had Shredder done? He took a deep breath, steeling himself for whatever he was about to see, and peered over the side. The fallen piece was dangling between two rooves with April and Shredder hanging on for dear life. Shredder was trying to move towards the screaming young reporter, and Raph's protective instincts kicked in.

With a growl, he leapt gracefully over the rail and landed on the piece, running across the metal. The other brothers were on his tail, each concerned for their new friend. Raph kept his eyes trained ahead of him on the scene. It killed him to see April in pain and scared. This could have been prevented if they had protected her better.

"April!" he called out worriedly. She glanced up, her eyes softening but her hands slipping.

"Raph!" she cried, her knuckles whitening from her death grip on the bars. A cold chuckle emitted from the armor, sending a shiver down her spine.

"The turtles have a weakness..." Shredder taunted, taking out his blade with one hand. "Let us see how they handle this."

"No..." she began to panic, thrashing around and trying to pull herself up. "Don't..." He flung his blade at April's hands and laughed evilly as it struck her, slicing her across the hand. With a painful scream, she finally let go of the bar and began to fall.

"No!" Raph stopped in his tracks as he watched the blade fly, but he moved in a quickened heartbeat as April fell. He ran full force towards the woman he had grown to care for. He was not going to watch her die. "April! No!" he screamed as his heart jumped into his throat. The red-clad brother sprung from the metal rails and sailed down towards her as she plummeted, closer and closer to death.

"I'm not letting go, Raph! Go!" A green hand wrapped around his ankle, and he reached out his own to April.

"C'mon...c'mon April!" he urged frantically, unable to hear anything beyond his own rapid breaths and her cries of terror. She held out her hand to him, stretching and making contact after a few heart-stopping moments. A sigh of relief and a flutter in his chest made him realize that he had actually gripped ahold of her. He held tight, feeling guilty that the pull of his brothers had come to a stop so abruptly that in grabbing April, she jerked upwards, dislocating her shoulder and tearing a wail of anguish from her lips. He hated gravity in that moment.

"I have you, April. I've got you..." he soothed her, which was quite uncharacteristic of him. But, seeing as how he had almost lost his brothers, her, and perhaps already lost his father in one day, he didn't care at that point. He was more trying to soothe himself, repeating internally that she was indeed alive and real there in his hand. April looked up at him, in obvious pain but immensely relieved to see his worry-stricken face. As she stared back, he saw just how happy she was to see him there. His brothers fought off further blade attacks from Shredder, yet his eyes remained on hers. She reached up with her other hand to cover his, and he felt a slight twitch of his lips at her. She was all right, for now, because they acted quickly.

"Raph...swing me...towards Shredder...hurry!" she managed in between heavy gasps of air and sobs of pain. He started to shake his head, his eyes wide and stubborn. He felt a tug on his ankle and glanced up at Leo, who nodded at him that it would be all right. With one more desperate look, he frowned in concentration and used his thickly muscled arms and chest to propel and swing them back and forth together. With a determined yell, she struck out at Shredder's face with all of her remaining strength, and her feet smashed into his helmet, knocking him off of the bars and sending him spinning to the ground below.

"Yeah!" Leo yelled triumphantly, while Mikey made a smug comment about his "girlfriend." The turtles pulled themselves up to safety, and Raph gently moved April to where she could stand and helped her grip the bars. He could tell the shoulder was causing her intense pain, as was the blade wound on her hand so he took her tiny hand in his larger one to take a closer look. It felt weird to hold her hand for the first time like this, but it was also a comfortable gesture. And she wasn't pulling away. She stared at him kindly, biting back hysterical sobs. He had such a calming effect on her, as she did to him. He opened his mouth to speak; except, he was interrupted when the piece they were on decided to break. He pushed her shaking hand back to the bars and waited until she had a tight enough grip before throwing his arms around the bars and bracing himself.

Looking at his brothers, who were panicking and confessing about random things, and then back at April, who was trying not to slip, he hung his head and let loose all of his guarded emotions and secret feelings about his family. In the midst of knowing they were all about to die, everyone stopped and stared at the one of them who never showed anything save for sarcasm, distance, or contempt. From a sideways glance, he could see the sadness in April's eyes as she listened to him.

"Uhm...dude...Raph..." Donnie shook him again, smirking.

"We made it. We're really alive...we didn't die!" Mikey was whooping, and they were teasing Raphael about crying, which he brushed off. He heard a shaky breath next to him and turned just in time to see April looking at her hand against her side and sinking quite hastily to the ground, her head lolling to one side.

"Guys!" he called, halting all laughter as he sped to her and caught her just in time in his strong arms. He pulled back her hand and found it covered in blood. She must have been struck by a sharp piece of Shredder's armor when he had tackled her over the railing. His jaw tightened nervously. She was barely conscious. Mikey hovered anxiously, all jokes thrown out the window as he asked if he could help. Leo rushed over and glanced her over, giving Raphael a look of unease that chilled him to the core.

"If we don't leave here now, they'll see us. Bye bye, vigilantes, and hello news rooms!" Donnie told them.

"Turtles, move out!" their leader spoke in an authoritative voice, which Raph didn't argue with this time. "Raph, bring April! Hurry!" With a curt nod, Raphael swung the now unconscious woman into his arms, holding her under her knees and cradling her against his chest safely.

"Stay with me," he spoke to her under his breath, brushing her hair back and frowning deeply. Together, the brothers jumped into the sewer, eager to save their master and to figure out exactly what happened with April.


	2. I'm No Hero

Author's Note/Disclaimer: More Raphril for youse! Once again, I own nothing but my own ideas!

Chapter 2: I'm No Hero

The turtles had saved their father. Splinter recovered quite well with the mutagen, so naturally, the four of them hovered a bit just to make sure he was all right. Raphael was the first to stop hovering, as he took up residence next to the place he had set April down in. They tried to make it as comfortable as possible for her. His eyes roamed across her face, his fear bubbling to the surface. She still had not woken up, and she looked pale. Donnie had bandaged her hand and researched how to stitch up her side, which had a nasty gash in it from Shredder's needle-like armor. Still, she had lost a decent amount of blood, but they couldn't take her to the hospital. Four giant speaking turtles walking into a hospital room holding an unconscious woman? It would freak people out. That's the kind of thing one would see on the same channel as _Creature from the Black Lagoon, _though they weren't evil people-eaters. Raph let his head drop into his hands, and he shook it from side to side.

"Please wake up," he begged wearily. A presence at his side immediately calmed him.

"My boy...she will be okay. Donnie is assessing the nearest places to get medicine and supplies for her as we speak," Splinter used his kind and gentle tone while he slowly moved around to face the normally volatile son. Now, he just looked vulnerable and ashamed staring at April. "Raphael? What is it?"

"She saved us all, but we failed to keep her safe. Sensei, how can we be heroes and yet not have the power to save those we...those who are close to us...from harm?" Raising a brow, the rat waited until Raphael looked up at him to speak.

"My child...she still breathes. She is alive. From what Leo told me, you were the first to go after her when Shredder attacked her." He took a composed breath before continuing. "One brave deed does not make a hero." Raphael cocked his head to one side in confusion.

"Uhm...what, Master?" he blinked.

"You say you are no hero because April was hurt on your watch. I argue that you are, indeed, a hero. You saved innocent people from execution by the Foot Clan, including April. When I told you April was in danger, as wary as you were of her, you did not hesitate to track her down with your brothers. As Shredder attacked the lair, our home, you did everything you could to save us. You are a hero, Raphael. And I know that April sees that. She would not choose to save you otherwise." Raphael closed his eyes and sighed deeply, feeling Splinter's paw on his shoulder for a moment before he was alone once more with April. He reopened his eyes and scooted closer to her, staring at her shallow breaths and cursing softly.

"Raph! Donnie has a location! We have to go get the supplies!" Leo called from the other room. He winced openly, extremely hesitant to leave her side but also knowing that if they did not get what Donnie needed, they would lose her. He would lose her.

_Like hell I will... _He told himself firmly.

"We'll be back soon, April. Hang on..." he muttered to her before standing and cracking his neck, his expression darkening to a gloomy firmness. He walked over to the wall with their weapons and grabbed his precious sais, slipping them into their sheaths at his sides and looking at his brothers, who all stared back at him silently. Mikey was the first to speak up.

"One of us can stay with her," he proposed, trying to sound like his usual flirty self with a smirk that didn't quite reach his eyes. "Do we need all four of us on this mission? And besides, Splinter is still trying to recover fully." Leo thought about it for a moment before nodding.

"Mikey, you stay with her. The three of us will go grab the blood and be back as quick as we can," he stated. Everyone nodded in agreement and the older brothers began climbing up the ladder.

"She'll be safe, Raph," he heard Mikey say behind him, the smirk in his tone gone completely. Raphael grumbled, hastily moving after Donnie and Leo.

* * *

"You didn't have to knock that man out," Leo admonished as they jumped back into the sewer about thirty minutes later.

"He had a gun," Raphael stated simply, shrugging it off like it casually. He stuck his Sais back on the wall and looked at his older brother, who sighed and shoved his sword next to the other weapons.

"Just because someone has a gun does not mean they will use it. You saw it in his jacket and just went for it!" Raph rolled his eyes and huffed, following Donnie into the den. Donnie had his bag slung on his shoulder and removed it promptly, setting it next to April and not wasting any more time. Raphael walked towards April, his own footsteps growing slower and more uncertain. She looked like she wasn't breathing.

"Mikey, how is she?" he overheard Leo inquire, and he gripped his fists nervously.

"The same. No change. Sorry, guys," Mikey reported, hanging his head with a disappointed frown. Leo patted him on the shoulder and headed over to speak with their father. Raph, Mikey, and Donnie sat Indian style around the makeshift bed, all eyes on Donnie's doctoring skills.

"I hope this works," Donnie told them.

"Wait wait..." Raphael stared at her face, an idea suddenly in his head. Donnie and Mikey waited expectantly. "You guys said that Sacks told you the mutagen from our blood is an antidote, right?" Donnie smacked his forehead with his palm.

"Raph, you're brilliant...great idea! Why didn't I think of that before?!" He fixed his purple mask and pushed his glasses further up on his face. "Yes! We can give her mutagen from our..."

"Take it from me," Raph interrupted immediately. His brothers blinked and looked at each other in surprise.

"You sure, Raphael?" Leo asked them from behind, making Raph shuffle his large foot nervously and scratch his neck.

"We don't know if the blood will work. We don't know her blood type. We know the mutagen will. If this can save her, we have to try." Leo listened to his brother with a shocked expression but nodded anyway.

"Donnie, do what Raph said." Raph's lip twitched for a moment as he nodded himself and scooted next to April's arm. Donnie rushed over to the needle room for a moment, and they all heard clattering and loud mumbling as he tried to find what he was looking for. When he returned, he had some extra supplies in his hands that he set down as he knelt and took another needle, glancing up at his brother in slight concern before pushing it into his green skin. Raph tightened his jaw and kept his eyes trained on the unconscious brunette laying next to him. He didn't really pay attention to much after that, feeling himself get somewhat weaker than before but knowing it was for her.

"Okay, now we just have to inject this into her bloodstream and wait," Donnie spoke up after long, tense moments of concentrated silence. Raph grimaced at the sight of seeing Donnie hooking April up to an IV.

"How long?" Mikey spared Raph from asking that question himself.

"I don't know..." Donnie admitted. "We've never done this before...Sacks began the work by drawing out our blood, but we never saw if it could work as an antidote..."

"Damn it!" Raph's fist pounded into the ground, and he instantly felt regret. "Sorry..." Their gazes were fixated on the mutagen running through the IV and into April's arm until Leo's voice rang out again.

"Guys, why don't you all come get something to eat?" he suggested, waving their attention in the direction of the pizza. As Mikey ran past, Donnie stood up a bit slower and made his way to their dinner. However, Raph didn't move a muscle. When he thought he was alone with her, his hand reached out to hold hers, feeling her soft warm flesh against his own. Closing his eyes, he didn't notice that they weren't alone.

"Raph..." His eyes popped open to reveal Leo sitting across from him, watching his expression with sympathy. "I'm not moving. Go eat."

"But she..." he began to argue.

"No. It won't do us any good if you starve yourself. Go," Leo cut him off sharply. "If she wakes up, you'll be the first to know." At this, Leo sent him a small, knowing smirk that sent Raph's gaze over to April's face again. He released her hand and stood up, lingering for a short moment before moving away to grab some pizza. Mikey was already on his second slice, and Donnie had brought his pizza over to the monitors to check on any activity in the subways. He always resorted to the monitors and computers when he was feeling upset, just as Leo meditated, Mikey made raps, and Raph used the punching bags until they broke. It was how they dealt with their feelings. But now, as they all sat in complete silence eating, Raph realized that they didn't know how to handle this. He couldn't just go into the training room and beat on some inanimate objects. That wouldn't help April. He hoped that his blood would.

Suddenly, April's screams punctured their quiet time, and Raph's half-eaten second pizza slice dropped onto the ground. He jumped over the table in one fluid motion and ran over, sliding on his knees until he was right next to her. Leo's eyes were wide behind his mask, and he looked over at Splinter helplessly. Splinter walked towards them but stayed out of the way. He looked genuinely uneasy, his own brush with death probably still fresh on his mind.

"April?" Raph shook her shoulder as gently as he could, not wanting to harm her any further. "April, it's Raphael...you're okay..." Her eyes sprang open, and the turtles jumped back in alarm. She glanced around quickly, her own gorgeous eyes frightened and searching. Her screams stopped, replaced by a cry of pain as her head fell back onto the pillow. Raph chewed on his lip, not having a toothpick handy. Donnie moved in front of Leo, switching into doctor mode and checking her vital signs.

"Raphael?" she asked, her eyes finally coming into focus. Her hand reached out to find his, and he sighed in immense relief when her fingers curled around his. "Sp...Splinter? Where?" The guys had to smile at that. Of course she would ask about Splinter even though she was the one laying there with her own problems.

"I am here, child," the rat moved to where she could see him. Tears fell from her eyes and rolled down her cheeks, and like a big brother would do, Leo reached over and brushed them away, hushing her in a warm tone. Raph stole a glimpse around at the others in the room and found each of them more relaxed now that she was awake. Seeing Donnie's smile definitely helped lift Raphael's spirits. It was hope that he was witnessing.

"Pulse is stabilizing, she has regained consciousness, she spoke...it's looking good! Raph, your mutagen is working!" Donnie revealed, taking the IV out of her arm. Raph didn't miss the strained look on her face and the squeeze of her hand around a part of his. He smiled down at her with a reassuring quirk of his brow.

"It's okay if you want to squeeze harder...you won't break my hand, I promise," he joked half-heartedly. Taking him at his word, she gripped forcefully and bit her lip to hold back sobs.

"I am so sorry," she whispered over and over, confusing all of them.

"Why are you sorry? April...it's ok..." Leo asked her calmly, though he looked lost.

"It was all my fault." She was blaming herself, just like Leo had done earlier. "If I had never gone to Sacks...they would never have found you...you..." Now April was crying, releasing Raphael's hand and putting her hands over her face. His heart clenched at the sight, and his anger surged.

"It was Sacks who did this. Do not blame yourself." His response was rather blunt, but he could barely speak at that moment in time. If he ever came face to face with Sacks, the Foot Clan, or Shredder ever again, he'd tear them apart with his bare hands.

"Angelcakes...we were bound to have someone find us sooner or later...I'm just glad it was a hot chick rather than some random dude..." Mikey took her hands and pulled them away from her face slightly, winking at her playfully. Of course, leave it to Mikey to flirt with her when she's crying. She barely cracked a smile.

"April..." It was Leo's turn to console her. "Sacks used a tracker to find us. You could never have known just how dangerous this was...You had no way to know that Sacks was not the good guy." She sniffled once and shook her head, pawing at her face to stop her tears.

"If I had just kept my big mouth shut, none of this would've happened..." she muttered. Raph took her chin in his hand and tilted it so that she would look at him.

"Stop it," he scolded, staring straight into her eyes. "Those cowardly bastards made you afraid. They are making you blame yourself for something that isn't your fault. Look at us. We're fine...but...you are right about one thing..."

"What?" she asked curiously.

"You do have a big mouth," he responded with a smirk. He thought he saw a blush creeping down her neck under where he held her chin, but he brushed it off, thinking that maybe his grip had been too rough. She couldn't help but smile ever so slightly at him in return.

"Thanks for that," she replied, sarcasm oozing out of her mouth and her face reddening as everyone began to laugh.


	3. Feeling a Change

Chapter 3: Feeling a Change

April began to sit up, deciding to test her limits, and the largest brother was there by her side in a heartbeat, offering her his arm or hands to pull herself up. Using Raphael's strength, she found herself in a sitting position and took a sharp breath of air, her hand moving to her side as she whimpered.

"Woah! Easy does it!" Donnie warned her, hovering like a mother whose child just fell on the playground. She sank back against Raph's massive chest, and he paused. Mikey huffed once at the sight of April leaning on Raph, but it was more out of playfulness than anything.

"Let me see the wound," Donnie continued. April swallowed hard and then pulled up the bottom of her shirt til her side was showing. Raphael's eyes caught sight of her delicate skin, and he had to avert them. Under different circumstances, it would be because he would think both strange and wonderful thoughts about Miss O'Neil. But seeing the slowly healing wound and remembering that just a few hours ago, she was losing her life in his arms, it fueled an intensity full of vengeance and protectiveness. He shook his head to clear the dismal thoughts away and to keep himself from losing control of his temper and caught her staring at him.

"What?" he wanted to know.

"Donnie said your mutagen..." she began softly. "Did you give me your mutagen?" It was Raph's turn to hide a blush, turning it into a dismissive grunt. On the inside, he was glad that his blood had saved her. "Raphael..."

"Maybe," was his only answer, but it seemed to work magic. Her lip quivering, she put her hand on his shoulder and wrapped the other one around him in a hug. Awestruck, all he could do was stare down at her with a racing heartbeat and his throat tightening.

"Thank you," she told him, though her voice was muffled by his chest. He leaned just a few centimeters into her hold and enjoyed the moment for what it was, ignoring his brothers as they all sat there smirking as though they knew a secret that he didn't. When she released him, she stared at his smile.

"Don't worry about it. You just worry about getting back to 100% April O'Neil. The world needs its best reporter back," he explained, clearing his throat and settling back into a relaxed state. He cracked his neck, loving the feeling of his muscles loosening. She glanced down at her hands, this time not bothering to hide a deep blush that rushed into her face. His expression softened at her reaction. She was lovely when she was shy and modest, as it brought out a sweeter and more genuine side to her.

"I'm not the best," she argued weakly. "Not yet." He smiled down at her and poked her shoulder.

"You go after the good stories...the juicy ones! Yeah, no one believed you...but we know the story is real! And you kicked some serious ass in the process!" She heard laughter from all of the turtles and laughed in spite of herself. Raising a brow, she watched Raphael's face turn sheepish.

"What's wrong?" she inquired.

"We try not to act inappropriately in front of women," Leo replied simply.

"But then...Mikey...?" she continued, blinking at the youngest brother who was dancing to a rap song on the radio.

"We try not to acknowledge it..." Donnie returned to the computer screens.

"We have come to the conclusion that he has lost a few brain cells in the mutation process..." Raphael smirked as Mikey stopped mid-breakdance to glare at him as menacingly as the adorable brother in orange could. They all turned to watch him for a moment and then erupted in hysterical laughter. A pizza box flew at Raph's head, but he caught it in time, his smirk larger than before.

"Yeah, yeah...make fun of me, for April's sake!" Mikey grumbled, a pout on his face as he walked over at sat next to April, folding his arms. She laughed once and leaned over, hugging him tightly. He immediately melted into it and returned the hug right back. His face broke into a delightful and wistful grin. Raph's brows furrowed slightly, not wanting to admit to even himself that jealousy immediately struck. It wasn't a dangerous one that would spur one of his temper tantrums. It just made him feel guilty and moronic that he wasn't able to fully return that kind of physical compassion with April like his little brother could. He was never a touchy-feely turtle, unless the touching was rough and tough fighting of some kind. When she had hugged him just a few moments ago, he wished that he could have done something more. Yet he froze up, unable to do anything but stare at her like an idiot. And here was Mikey, loving up on her like she was a brand new puppy.

"Okay, well that's a lot better!" Mikey sighed dreamily, pulling away and leaning back on his arms. She shook her head and rolled her eyes playfully at him before laying back against the pillows.

"I don't want to over-exert myself," she made clear before any of them could get nervous and hover. Yawning, she stretched a bit and leaned her head against a pillow. Leo pulled the blanket over her and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Rest up, April. We'll be here when you get up." She rolled her head around in something akin to a nod and started to drift off. Her interactions with the turtles wore her out already. Raph put the empty pizza box on the ground and laid his head on it, laying next to April's sleeping form.

"Hey, doofus!" A pillow smacked him in the head, and he caught a blanket that was headed straight for him. Mikey winked at him before disappearing into the turtles' bedroom to get some well-deserved sleep. Raphael rumbled under his breath at his younger brother before curling up and facing April, watching her sleep peacefully for a long while before exhaustion took over. Closing his eyes, he finally let sleep override his concerns.

* * *

_The turtles have a weakness..._Shredder's voice taunted her as she dangled high above New York's streets.

_ No..._April began to thrash around, crying out for Raphael as she felt the blade slice across her hand all over again. She dragged herself out of her nightmare and into the conscious world, her eyes popping open in alarm. Raphael was wide awake, his entire body on full alert as he crouched protectively over her and glanced around, his hands on either side of her head. She could only stare at the muscled chest that was positioned over her head, and she lost all trains of thought. It was lined and yet rugged, not as defined as his brothers', but more dangerous and quite exquisite with its decent amount of scars and ripples. There was so much of it there in front of her, and while it could be terrifying when he lost control, all she wanted to do was touch it.

"Raph?" she croaked out, her voice soft and almost inaudible. Her fingers reached out to push at his plastron, grazing one of the scars along the way, and his gaze immediately jumped to her fingers and then straight to her eyes, which never left his abs. When she finally looked up into his face, he found himself growing warm with embarrassment. He swallowed hard, praying that he was not hurting her, and began to scramble off of her, sitting down cross-legged and avoiding all eye contact. His heart slammed against his chest, a wonderful reminder so early in the morning that he was alive. And just how close he had just been to April O'Neil and her gorgeously curious face. Even that early in the morning, with her brunette hair messed up and her face still tired and confused, she looked like a goddess to him.

"Mmm...sorry..." he mumbled low in his chest, proud of himself for managing to speak one word. She kept her eyes on his face, fidgeting with her hands.

"What was that about?" she asked, not unkindly.

"You were yelling in your sleep...you said my name, so I thought you were in pain or something was wrong..." he reasoned, pursing his lips angrily.

"Hey...Raph..." she put her hand over his and squeezed it, and he couldn't help an automatic twitch of his lips in response. He wanted to curl his fingers around hers but kept his hand still. "Don't ever apologize for wanting to keep me safe. I couldn't be more grateful," she admitted gently before releasing him and stretching her arms wide above her head. The awkwardness gone, he gladly sat next to her and watched her every move as she woke herself up. He was completely distracted by the way she ran her slim fingers through her chocolate brown locks to pull it back off of her neck. He gulped when she exposed the soft flesh there, his knuckles tightening beside him. A cute yawn escaped her mouth before she could cover it with her hand, and he smiled at the way she looked sheepish afterwards.

"Morning, Angelcakes!" Raph's quiet observations were rudely interrupted by the loud, lively voice of Michelangelo as he bounced over to their makeshift kitchen to make some coffee.

"Mikey...sweetie, you don't need any coffee..." April told him jokingly, raising a brow at Raph's grunt of agreement. They both smirked at each other as Mikey rattled off reasons why he needed his morning coffee.

"Mikey, no coffee," Leo ordered, shuffling in from the bedroom and shaking his head. "That's the last thing we need this morning..."

"We don't want to kill...maim..." Raph changed up his wording at a glare from April. "Maim you at 7AM..."

"Still not better," he heard April mutter under her breath. He looked over at her and leaned in close, making her heart flutter.

"If you had to live with him 24/7, 365, and you woke up to this every single morning...you'd feel the exact same way..." he defended himself. "And anyways, it's not like any of us would actually follow through with that threat..."

"I know." He heard her response and sat up straight again, surprised. She glanced over at him and shrugged it off, pulling back her covers and looking down at her bandage. Reaching down to touch it, she grimaced and inhaled sharply through her nose.

"Take it easy, April." She looked up through her lashes to find Raph staring at her carefully. He looked as though he was ready to fall over.

"I'm more worried about you...are you okay?" she asked, moving towards him. He scooted back a few inches and cleared his throat, waving off her concern.

"I never sleep well on the ground," he replied. "I'm just a bit sore is all."

"Then why the hell weren't you in bed?" she asked incredulously, trying her best to sound stern.

"Because you were out here," he stated simply, catching her off guard. Her eyes followed his hulking figure as he tapped her on the nose and stood up, grabbing his pillow and blanket and walking to the bedroom to put them away.

_Damn it...I was practically on top of her! __I could've crushed her! __What is wrong with me?! _Raphael threw his pillow and blanket on the bed and sat for a moment, trying to cool himself off. He placed his rough hand on his chest and sighed deeply, closing his eyes as he remembered how the touch of her delicate skin felt against his own hardened green flesh. It took him a few moments to push the image to the back of his mind before he could leave the bedroom.

"There's no infection in your wounds, and you don't have a fever, so those are positives," Raphael returned to find Donnie redressing April's wounds, Mikey chowing down on cereal, and Leo sipping at a cup of hot coffee while Splinter read a little of the newspaper. He made his way over to stand next to Leo, peeking at everyone again.

"We saved New York," Leo spoke in a disbelieving tone. "I still can't believe the five of us did it..." They both glanced over at April at the exact same time, and Raph's face fell. "What?"

"She saved us, but look at the cost...she'll have scars for the rest of her life...And now that the Foot knows she is our friend, she'll always be looking over her shoulder." Leo listened to his brother point out the truth that none of them wanted to say. When it came to April, though, Raph didn't hold back his opinions. "Everything will be different for her now."

"Raphael, her life changed the moment she decided to climb up those stairs to the top of that roof to take our picture..." Leo rationalized. "Life is full of choices we make, and April made her decision the moment she met us up there and asked for answers. She chose to change her life, to help us. She risked everything because she wanted to, not because we forced her to. Besides, now that Sacks is arrested and Shredder is dead, the Foot is weakened." Raph looked over at his brother before grabbing himself a banana and eating it as quickly as possible. Leo clapped him on the shoulder reassuringly, downed the rest of his coffee, and began to make breakfast.

"Raph? I need you!" Donnie called him over, and he was kneeling by April again in a heartbeat.

"What's up?" he pressed.

"I need you to hold this bandage on her side while I go grab the clasps. I forgot them in the needle room!" He grabbed Raph with one hand and placed his large hands on April's side without warning, prompting Raph's mouth to fall open in protest.

"And she couldn't do this, why?" he mumbled inaudibly. His hands splayed across her side, holding the white cloth together, and he chanced a sideways glimpse at her. She was gazing down at his touch, chewing the inside of her lip. He thought of a topic change frantically, trying not to think of the way his eyes wanted to linger on the sight of her skin there. The anger he felt when he knew what was underneath that bandage.

"Hey, look at me, Raph," that remarkably feminine voice relaxed him, and he looked at her. He must've been scowling from his mental arguments. "It's okay...I'm going to be all right..." she told him calmly. She came to the wrong conclusion about what he was thinking. He tried not to growl, and settled for a nod instead as Donnie returned.

_I wish it was that simple..._ the temperamental turtle thought bitterly, cursing himself as he looked at her gentle face and found his heartbeat quickening once more.


	4. Hard Lessons

Chapter 4: Hard Lessons

It was eerily silent inside the sewers, the occasional squeak of a rat or dripping of water piercing the dead quiet. And then, all of a sudden, the peace was broken. Metal clashed against metal, swords crashed against sais. Leonardo was highly focused, keeping his katanas raised and ready for the next strike. Raphael was channeling all of his frustration into his thrusts and blocks. He sliced his sais through the air towards his brother and grunted as they collided with his brother's weapons. They glared at each other in concentration, and Raphael broke off first, propelling himself backwards and twisting through the air. Landing gracefully on his feet, he straightened up, slightly out of breath but not giving up.

It had been three days since they saved New York City. They were working on getting the lair back to the way it was before. Splinter was doing much better, and April was on the path to healing herself. She was walking in short spurts until she sapped her energy and had to lie down again, but none of them rushed her. Even Mikey knew when to leave her alone and let her rest. Raphael's heart hurt for her every time he saw or heard her bolting upright from her makeshift bed, screaming or crying. He wanted to wrap her in his arms every time she thrashed around in the blankets and begged Shredder to stop. She must've been dreaming about Shredder torturing her.

Leonardo attacked again, jumping up and coming at Raphael from above. He dodged him and bent down, sending a swift kick into his older brother's shell. Leo let out a heavy breath of air and landed, barely making it on his feet. He spun just in time to get hit in the shoulder with the hilt of a sai, and as he stumbled back a step, they both stood there staring at each other. Both turtles were panting and out of breath.

"That was one of the best training sessions you have ever done, Raph," Leo praised, stepping back and bowing respectfully. Raphael bowed in return, taking a sharp inhale of breath and cracking his sore neck.

"Yeah. You did pretty damn good...I was really focused," he countered, nodding as they walked back to the wall to put away their weapons.

"I could tell. You were putting all of your anger from Shredder into the fight, weren't you?" Leo inquired, looking over at his brother.

"Yes," Raphael answered calmly. Leo nodded, knowing the answer, and began to walk out of the dojo.

"I'm going to stay in here a while," Raphael told him. "I want to use the bag."

"Try not to break this one," Leo joked, shaking his head as he left his brother alone. Raphael moved over to the punching bag and sighed, closing his eyes and focusing his mind on the Foot Clan, Eric Sacks, and Shredder. Faces and voices rushed through his mind, and he punched out once.

_We'll start executing hostages... _Punch.

_The rat did not teach you well... _Punch.

_You are just teenagers. _By the time his father's voice ran through his mind, he was slamming his fists double time into the durable punching bag in front of him, his eyes blazing and his mouth turned up in a snarl. He kept hearing April's screams over and over in his mind and he assaulted the bag without any further thoughts.

_Raphael..._ He almost hummed at the sound of her voice in his head but did not stop. _Raphael..._ It sounded firmer this time, and he flinched slightly at the stern tone in her voice.

"Raph!" A hand grabbed his arm, and he didn't even realize what he was doing until he had grabbed whoever it was and pushed them against the punching bag. He held them at the shoulders with one of his hands, his other drawn back in a fist. And then he saw April. He was closer than comfort to her, his body pressing against hers in a dangerous warning. Every nerve in his body shifted into overdrive at once when he felt her warm body moving against his in a slight struggle. He bit back a groan right there, wanting to run away and yet tempted to pull her closer all at once. That was, until he finally came back down to reality and found her staring at him with a strange expression.

"Oh, God..." he whispered, all fight in his body gone as he saw the look on her face. His shoulders hunched forward, and his hold loosened. "April...I'm so sorry..."

"Raph," she breathed, staring at his hands and then up at his face. Feeling him this close once again was sending her emotions in every direction. He probably thought she was scared of him, but in reality, it was most certainly the opposite. Her cheeks flushed.

"When I'm in the dojo, I get into a zone and I don't even know what I'm doing..." he started to explain himself quickly, looking horrified at himself. To calm him down, she placed both of her hands against his cheeks and pulled his face to look at her.

"Raphael," she said loudly, stroking his cheek with her thumb. "I'm not scared of you. I get it...I won't disturb you next time..." He stopped apologizing as she stroked his cheek and closed his eyes, taking a few deep breaths and practically jumping out of his skin at her touch. He gulped but remained where he was, pressed against her and feeling her hold his head. It was quite calming having her there. She sighed contentedly, feeling the urge to nuzzle under his head and stay there for the rest of the day but stopping herself.

"Be more careful," he spoke under his breath, trying to act like his usual moody self but not pulling it off all that well. She felt his immense muscles against her and held back a different kind of sigh that threatened to escape her. The brunette's mouth was dry as her eyes dragged up from staring at his chest to look up into his eyes, which were gazing at her intensely. They both stepped back at the same time, clearing throats and scratching necks. To clear the tension away, she placed a hand against the abused punching bag behind her. Smiling softly, she glanced at it.

"Can you teach me a few things?" she asked him with interest. He took her shoulder and moved her back an inch or two gently.

"You need to be taking it easy," he scolded in all seriousness, his eyes full of worry for her.

"What if I sit down right here, and you just tell me a few things and show me what I can do until I'm well enough to do it on my own? You want me to know how to defend myself, right?" she pleaded with puppy dog eyes.

_Does she know how she affects me? _He asked himself internally. She was tugging at his heartstrings, and he sent a tame growl her way.

"Damn it, woman," he smirked in spite of himself. "You know how to get under the skin." He helped her to sit down where she could see him and faced her. "Okay...I won't teach you a lot today. Ninjutsu is not just about throwing punches and hurting people...though I thoroughly enjoy those parts..." At April's glare, he looked away, embarrassed, and continued. "Ninjutsu, as Master Splinter says, is about the balance of your mind and body. You have to train your mind first before your body...which is good, because you need to heal first before you fight." He sat across from her, his gaze locking with hers.

"Okay...so what do I do?" she asked him.

"Close your eyes. You need to focus your mind," he replied softly, waiting until her eyes were closed to let his eyes roam across her face. Still, he kept his attention on the lesson. He was never good at this part. He wondered if Leo should take over for this portion and he'd pick up when it was time to teach her how to fight. However, he found himself telling her what Splinter would tell them. "You have to sharpen your senses." April's face scrunched as she thought it over, and Raphael held back a laugh as he watched her.

"Here...let me give you an example," he spoke, taking her hand. "Keep your eyes closed." His fingers rested at her wrist, and he was surprised to feel her quickened pulse. Shaking himself, he curled her hand into a fist and picked up a punching pad for his own hand. He scooted a few inches to the left quietly and held out the punching pad in front of him.

"Use your fist and punch out straight," he ordered. Following his order, she punched straight out into nothingness, and her brow furrowed in confusion. "Okay, there was nothing there, right?" She nodded. "Now...focus your mind...use your ears to listen to my voice and your fist will follow where I go..." Once again, she followed his instruction and used her other senses to throw a punch. This time, he smiled in satisfaction as her fist connected with the punching pad. He watched her mouth curl into a beautiful and gratified smile and moved to her other side without making a sound. Once again, he put up the pad and spoke, and she threw a punch into his hand. Her punches weren't that hard, but it still made him happy knowing that he was helping her.

"Open your eyes," he told her lightly. When she did, April looked into his admiring gaze. She smiled a dazzling smile at him, quite pleased with herself as she uncurled her fist and let it drop.

"Thank you," she acknowledged him, and she nudged his knee with hers. He returned the gesture comfortably, glancing around them.

"Anytime..." he shrugged, pushing himself up and offering his hand to help her up. She accepted it, pulling herself up to a standing position. Together they walked out of the dojo, both of them lost in their own thoughts.

"Where have you guys been?" Donnie peered over the television screen at them, raising a brow. Leo looked at them and nodded his head furtively at Mikey, rolling his eyes. Mikey must've been doing something annoying, and Raphael sighed.

"Ninjustu lessons," he answered, and April nodded eagerly.

"He was teaching me to focus my mind!" she smiled with excitement, prompting Raph to smile down at her. Leo stared at them for a long moment.

"Wait...HE trained you to focus your mind? Usually he's the one to focus fists, not brains..." Mikey jumped onto the sofa, chewing a piece of cold leftover pizza from the night before. Raphael was in too good of a mood to be angry at him.

"Yes! He had me close my eyes and focus my senses to punch," she described it, and Leo sat down next to Mikey, grinning by the end of her story.

"Nice job, Raph," he praised, and Raph almost glowed with smug satisfaction.

"I do better with fists...maybe you can help with this mind part?" he suggested, and Leo nodded.

"That seems like a good idea," Leo agreed.

"Guys, look! The news!" Donnie pointed to the television suddenly, and everyone crowded around to watch. Raph helped April over to sit down on the couch and knelt next to her.

_After years of rising Foot Clan activity, New York City police have identified the leader of this horrendous group of criminals. Eric Sacks, the scientist behind the governor's plans of reforming the city, has been found guilty of orchestrating some of the biggest crimes of the city. _The turtles began hooting and hollering joyfully as the female newscaster reported the newest breaking events surrounding the Foot Clan. Even Splinter was smiling from where he was standing. Raphael looked at April and placed a hand over hers.

"The man who killed your father is finally where he belongs," he whispered near her ear. She looked over at him and curled her fingers around his, tears in her eyes. She moved closer and wrapped her arms around him tightly, burying her face in his shoulder. This time, he held onto her and even placed the faintest kiss against the top of her head. As everyone cheered for their win, Raphael comforted the woman whose father's killer was finally brought to justice. He almost smiled until the female reporter on the news spoke again.

_Bystanders at the Sacks Tower say they saw a possible accomplice in some form of metal armor at the scene, but that he disappeared before the police could arrest him, killing four and injuring at least five others in his escape. Police are warning everyone that this man in the metal suit is extremely dangerous. Please stay clear and anonymously call this number on the screen with any information you may have... _Everyone stopped celebrating and turned to stare at the television screen.

"Shredder's alive?" Donnie felt like his lungs were collapsing and froze mid-five with Mikey. Raphael's arms tightened protectively around April as she shook her head with a terrified sob and buried herself into him even further. Raphael looked like he could kill someone.

"How? He fell...he fell far...we all saw it..." Mikey glanced at Leo incredulously, ceasing his jumping. Leo stood stunned before taking a glimpse at everyone around him.

"Apparently that armor saved him..." He glared at the screen, where there was a blurry picture a witness had taken of Shredder before he disappeared.

"So he's out there right now? He killed four people...what if he finds us?" April asked, breathless, and she curled into Raphael's embrace. Leo turned and stared at her in concern, clenching and unclenching his jaw as his gaze met Raph's. Raphael looked back at him with a mixture of fear and fury in his expression.

"Until we know what's going on, she doesn't leave here without all four of us with her..." he ordered. "And none of us go up there alone, either." Splinter nodded at Leo's words as he walked into the dojo to meditate.

"You don't have to tell me twice," Raph growled, placing his head on top of hers as he felt her shaking in his arms. "I'm not letting her out of my sight."


	5. Uncertainties

Chapter 5: Uncertainties

April was going into shock, that much was certain. The turtles watched the emotion leave her face, leaving behind a blank expression. Leo was in the other room while the rest of them hovered around, unsure of what to do. Raphael disappeared and then returned moments later, a yellow blanket in his hand. He sat next to April, draping it around her with a deep sigh.

"I made it for you. I know you get cold down here," he spoke softly, but the only response he received was her hands pulling it tighter around herself. He slowly pulled her back into his arms and was quite relieved when she didn't pull away. Her eyes fell on the tv screen, which was now playing a rerun of some show. Raphael was quiet, his own thoughts overwhelming his mind as he wrapped his arms around her and placed his head on top of hers. Leonardo returned to the room, kneeling in front of the two of them on the sofa and offering something in his hand.

"I made some tea," he spoke calmly, looking at April's face with an encouraging smile. She reached out and took it with shaky hands, and she felt his hands curl around hers to keep the cup steady. She looked back at him with a grateful nod, and he helped her bring the cup to her lips. She blew on it a bit and then sipped it, sighing as she felt the hot liquid moving down her throat. "How's that?" Leo continued.

"It's good..." she finally spoke up, her voice soft. "Thank you, Leo." He smiled again and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Drink up. I promise you, no one will hurt you here...you are safe with us," he vowed, his face slightly hardening at the thought of anyone attacking the lair again. She nodded and watched him stand up and walk away before sipping at her tea again.

"Feeling any better? Whenever we are stressed, Leo always makes us tea to calm us down," Raphael explained above her. April felt his plastron vibrate every time he spoke and felt her eyes start to droop, her body relaxing into his chest.

"Yes, actually...I feel calmer..." she replied with a yawn. He looked down just in time to see her yawn, and his gaze softened. He nuzzled the top of her head, his hands moving up and down her arms to keep her calm and relaxed. "I feel tired..."

"Then close your eyes for a while...it's ok..."

"No...every time I close my eyes, I see him..." He tilted her face up with a firm fierceness in his gaze as he looked her in the eye.

"April...as long as I breathe, he will never hurt you again. He will never get near you again...I swear, I'll do everything I can to keep you safe." She stared at him for a long moment, neither of them speaking as they both barely breathed. Their faces were so close, and he felt his own move just a bit closer.

"We all will..." Leo's voice backing him up broke their moment, and April was the first to look away. Raphael would've shot Leo a glare, but he was too tired.

"Sleep, April..." Leo pressed a bit more, and she finally nodded, closing her eyes and using Raphael's chest as her pillow. He scooted them back so that she was more comfortable and lay there, taking deep breaths and humming a bit to help her fall asleep.

"We need a plan," Leo spoke up as soon as she was asleep. Raph gestured quickly to her, but Leo waved dismissively. "Relax. I put a bit of valerian in her tea, like I used to do when Mikey couldn't sleep...she'll be out for a while."

"You drugged April?" Raph looked at his brother incredulously.

"No. I helped her sleep, which is what she needs right now. To sleep without fear of seeing Shredder in her nightmares..." Raph stopped arguing at that, frowning down at the sleeping woman on his chest. His heart immediately began to thump faster at the beautiful sight.

"So...about a plan..." Donnie offered, wanting Leo to continue as he spun his chair from his computer to face the group. Mikey jumped onto the floor nearby, crossing his legs.

"Shredder knows where our lair is. He may strike again," Leo began to pace thoughtfully.

"But do you think he'd strike again that quick? He may be trying to regain strength after that fall..." Mikey tried to reason, like his usual optimistic self.

"He killed several people, and he injured more, just trying to get away from the scene...if he's feeling hurt from the fall, he's not showing it," Leo responded with the harder, more realistic side, and Mikey's face fell. "Donnie, from a fall like that, what kind of injuries do you expect?"

"Well..." Donnie pushed up his glasses. "Normally a person would've been killed. The impact would crush every bone in his body, not to mention all of his internal organs...immediate death...but he had that armor to protect him...I'd say that he probably has a few broken bones, possibly a bruised back...it's hard to tell...we've never had to deal with anything like this before..." He shrugged nervously, prompting a sigh from their leader.

"As I feared...which means that he'll be regaining power and rejoining the Foot clan. There may be an attempt to break Sacks out of prison. And one of the first things they will want to do is draw us out...Shredder would want to weaken us." He stared back at April at that point, and Raph's arms instinctively tightened around her. He knew what Leo was implying.

"Not a chance in hell," he growled roughly.

"You know that the first thing they'll come after is her...she's the one who kicked him off that bar...she's the reason he fell and lost the mutagen...his anger will be directed at her first."

"No," Raphael growled again, shaking his head with a look of complete hatred. His fists curled, the fury in him rising until he felt April stirring on him. He placed his forehead against her hair, taking a deep breath and feeling himself already growing calmer with her there. "What can we do, Leo?" he asked softly, not wanting to wake her up. Leo watched him, a grave expression on his face.

"We need to go into further hiding. Somewhere Shredder cannot find any of us..." he answered simply.

"You mean, leave the lair?" Mikey chimed in, looking sad for once. "But it's our home..."

"Would you rather live or die?" Leo asked him, not unkindly bur rather sternly, as a parent would speak to a child. Mikey hung his head, not even needing to answer his oldest brother.

"We'll be asking April to leave her life behind..." Raphael added quietly. "Her job, her friends, everything she knows..."

"I know, Raph..." Leo was sighing. "But she'll be alive...she'll be safe."

"I just don't know how she'll take it." Leo glanced at his brother and nodded once before going silent to contemplate what they would do.

"Maybe we can ask the old guy that's friends with April...he may know of a place..." Mikey suggested, stretching out his legs.

"No," Raphael shook his head. "We can't bring him any further into this."

"Raph's right. No more innocent people need to be involved in this. And his name is Vern," Leo agreed with Raphael, who nodded at him. "Vern is safer not knowing anything else. April's already too deeply involved to get out now."

Raphael almost jumped when he felt movement against him and glanced down quickly. April was readjusting herself, still asleep. He forgot how to breathe momentarily as she nudged his plastron with her head like one would a pillow and placed her hand gently right next to her neck. He couldn't help a small sigh of contentment that escaped his lips. The other turtles smirked at his reaction, and Leo shook his head as he looked on. Raphael's defenses were completely down around April. He didn't even completely lower them around his own brothers, but around her, he noticed his younger brother turning into a huge walking teddy bear. When it came to protecting her, though, he turned into a bundle of nerves, uninhibited rage, and large muscles rolled into one turtle. It unnerved him but also pleased him to see Raphael finally find something to fight for other than himself and his brothers.

"I think, Raph...that if she knows you'll be there, she'll go anywhere..." Leo admitted truthfully, leaning back to watch the two of them. Raph glanced at him and then down at the sleeping angel in his embrace and sighed.

"As much as I wish it was that easy, it won't be."

"Because she's human?" Leo asked evenly, and Raph looked at him through conflicted eyes.

"Because she has a good life here. She had a life here before we came crashing into it..." Raphael skirted around his feelings. It was a sore subject.

"You know...I never told you, but I saw her before the Foot clan hostage situation...I was flipping through the channels on television, and I came across her. She was doing a report on the health benefits of yoga...and I knew she wasn't truly happy. She had a look in her eyes...a look that said, 'I'd rather be anywhere but here.'" Raphael's brow furrowed.

"But she's a reporter...wouldn't she enjoy reporting?" he asked in confusion. Leo shrugged once and made himself comfortable.

"Not if she is reporting on things that don't interest her..." Leo supplied, raising a brow.

"I saw her too," Raphael blurted, unable to stop himself. "Before we met her...that night we saved her and the rest from the subway clan attack...I saw her before...in person..." Leo's eyes widened slightly, but he stayed silent to let his brother finish. "I went out on my own one night, to foil a Foot clan robbery...I was at the docks, watching them and waiting to strike. And then I see her...this beautiful woman in a yellow leather jacket, getting soaked by the rain and looking completely out of place in the situation...I knew she didn't belong there. She wasn't a Foot member...just an innocent person..." he paused, stroking her shoulder with his thumb.

"I saw some of the men getting close to her, and I didn't even think...I attacked. I grabbed them first and kept the Foot away from her and began to throw shipping containers to scare them off. It worked. The clan retreated and drove off, and I knew the woman was safe. I had to get out of there, though, before she could see me. I wrote our symbol and was about to leave, and I saw her looking at me. It wasn't in fear, though...she wasn't afraid. She looked at me with wonder and genuine curiosity...and when we saw her again on that rooftop, I hid the relief that she was all right...I was too embarrassed to tell any of you that I knew her, so I decided to act angry..." He finally stopped talking, moving hair back from her face when it fell to lay against his plastron. The other brothers stared at him and then all glanced around at each other.

"Raph...why didn't you tell us about the dock incident?" Leo asked after a pause.

"I thought I had handled it," he replied stubbornly. "I didn't think they would retaliate by taking hostages...and I couldn't tell you I saw April...at the time, I didn't think it was anything...I didn't think I would ever see her again." Leo shook his head.

"It's not your fault, Raphael. You were trying to do the right thing," he comforted him. "But from now on, you can't just go out on solo missions because you feel like it...you can't be that reckless, especially now with Shredder being out on the loose..."

"I know, Leo," Raph sighed in frustration. "I was feeling..."

"We know," Donnie interrupted kindly. "We heard everything when we were falling..." Raphael nodded and cleared his throat.

"I'm sorry...I unintentionally put April's life in danger by saving her..." he glanced down, realizing that fact with a tightness in his chest.

"You had no idea she'd be at that subway station," Leo reasoned with a serene gaze.

"Karai was about to shoot her..."

"That young woman has had a few close calls since we met her," he heard his older brother speak. He looked up at Leo. "She's quite stubborn though...kept bouncing back, ready as ever to keep us safe."

"After all of you were taken, I found her in the lair trying to pull the debris off of Splinter...she was doing everything she could to save him..." Raphael looked over at the dojo, where their sensei was practicing.

"You should've seen her before that," Leo smiled a little. "She has some serious guts...she went up against Shredder..."

"What?" Raphael was alarmed, glancing around at his brothers.

"Yeah...she saw that Shredder was about to kill Master Splinter, so she grabbed one of your sais and ran up behind Shredder and planted the sai right in a weak spot in his armor. It was badass," Mikey told the story with a boyish giddiness, and Raphael smiled proudly at April. He knew she couldn't smile back at the moment, but he was so proud, especially since she used his sai.

"That's my..." he stopped himself, looking a bit panicked. Leo raised a brow with a smile slowly spreading across his face.

"Your girl?" he supplied, laughing as Raphael's face matched the color of his mask.

"My weapon," he lied obviously, turning redder as his others brothers joined in on the laughter.

"It's adorable!" Donnie teased playfully, not trying to be mean.

"Oh, shut up...don't you guys have better things to do?" the big turtle muttered, grumbling to himself and settling into a more comfortable position, curving himself against April protectively and closing his own eyes. Sleep took him almost instantly after the emotional day they all had.


	6. A Good Morning for Interruptions

Author's Note: I'm SO SORRY that it took almost 2 months for an update! Real life bit me in the butt! Sooo...I have some surprises for my wonderful readers in this chapter for being so wonderfully supportive and patient! Enjoy, and remember...none of the characters belong to me!

Chapter 6: A Good Morning for Interruptions

Unlike the last time she awoke, April's eyes slowly slid open as her head moved up and down in a steady rhythm. There were no nightmares, no Foot Clan...only peaceful, quiet breathing that greeted her. Well, that and a strong pair of arms wrapped around her petite body. Glancing around her surroundings, she noticed that she was still on the couch, but the television was off. She didn't see the turtles or Splinter up and around yet, so they were all still probably passed out. Her gaze finally turned around to stare at the large turtle who held her.

"Raph..." she murmured softly, watching him sleep for a few minutes. It was such a harsh contrast to see him so calm and serene while he slept. This was the same turtle who bashed men over the heads with their own guns and crushed Foot soldiers with a fan. The same turtle who could twirl a sai faster than a speeding bullet and throw shipping containers was out cold and holding her in his arms like he would never let her go. After a few minutes had passed, she brought up a hand to the top of his plastron, her fingers tracing the lines and memorizing how they felt under her skin. She moved a couple of inches on top of him but froze when he stirred beneath her.

"April..." he mumbled in his sleep, "It's ok...I'm here...sleep..." To help his point, his arms squeezed her as his face nuzzled into her hair. It was almost like she forgot how to breathe as she felt herself being pulled closer into his muscular body. Her eyes started to droop heavily, and she didn't stop herself from taking advantage and snuggling deeper into his chest. He must've heard or felt her pulse speed up, however, as he was moving around again.

"...April..." The giant terrapin sighed before the woman was looking up at his face. His eyes were barely cracked open, and he was staring down at her in confusion. The brunette hid the smile that wanted to spread across her face. He was so handsome in the mornings. That thought caused her eyes to widen, and she broke eye contact to look at the scar on the corner of his upper lip. Her hand slowly drifted up to touch it hesitantly, and she was relieved when he didn't flinch or try to move back. Her fingers slid to touch the scar on the other side of his mouth.

"How did you get them?" she inquired curiously. He didn't let on that his entire body lit up at her touch, and instead kept a look of casual sleepiness on his face.

"My scars?" he asked the obvious question, waiting until she nodded before he smirked. "Wanna know how I got these scars?" His impression of the Joker was dead on, and she giggled softly. He smiled at her, settling into the couch more comfortably and taking her with him.

"Are you sure you've only seen Batman once?" she asked playfully, and he shrugged with a mischievous smirk. He waited for their light laughter to die down before getting serious again.

"The one on my right side is from right when I began training with my sais...I was reckless and didn't know what I was doing, so I accidentally cut myself..." She frowned sympathetically but remained silent so that he could continue. "And the one on my left was from the first time we went up against the Foot...our first fight outside of the lair. I was getting too cocky and was caught off-guard by a throwing star..."

"How did you hide that from Splinter?"April asked incredulously, staring at it. He simply chuckled.

"I told him that I slipped up in training..." he replied.

"Do you do that often?"

"Used to...which is why he believed it so easily..." April smiled at him and, for the next hour or so, they played a small game where she'd touch a scar, and he'd tell her the story behind it. April stared at them, fascinated by each and every one of them.

"And...this?" April finally came to the symbol on his shoulder, and Raphael was practically shivering from her hands exploring his scars on his skin. A while ago, he had been completely out of it and ready to go back to sleep. However, now he was completely awake and wired. His green eyes stared at the fingers brushing over the symbol he had made, and he swallowed hard.

"It's called a kanji...kanjis are Japanese characters," he explained softly.

"And what does this one mean?"

"Anger...it's a reminder of who I am and to never lose control of myself..." he answered her question, never taking his eyes off her hand. She stared up at him with a troubled look in her eyes. "Hey...why so serious?" She smiled a bit at his reference and shook her head, her hair falling across her face. He had to take a deep breath as some of her hair brushed his plastron.

"Raphael..."

"Hmm?" He was slightly distracted and glanced at her face, not realizing that his fingers had started rubbing her arms in slow circles.

"I won't let you lose control," April spoke firmly. "Any time you start to feel angry, look at me...I'll keep you calm..." They looked at each other for a long second, and he nodded once. When she nodded back, he reached one of his hands to softly push her hair back from her face. His heart skipped a beat as he watched her eyelids flutter at his touch.

"April..." It was his turn to say her name.

"Hmm?" She didn't mean to mimic his word, but she couldn't find any other actual words to say.

"Thank you...I know all of this is...hard..." he responded quietly, leaning his forehead down against hers while his arms pulled her up a bit so that her head was closer. Her entire body was closer, and it was delightful. He wished that they could stay like this all day. Her hand remained on his scar while the other came up to rest against his neck. "April..." His voice had become hoarse as their breaths mingled together, their faces only inches apart. She was so close...he had to try.

"Yes?" she whispered gently.

"C-Can...Can I...?" He began to stammer, suddenly nervous and unsure of himself. Though, as he was asking, his head tilted and leaned towards hers. All she could manage was the smallest of nods as her own head moved upwards. The confident turtle was terrified as he held the woman in his arms, his lips just about to touch hers. He lingered for a moment, his breath ghosting over her enticing lips, hoping she wouldn't regret letting him do this.

His eyes watched hers begin to slide shut, her smooth hands tightening over his rough skin, and then he pressed himself down to finally touch his lips to hers. Electricity surged through his entire body as he felt her warm lips light and wonderfully gentle against his. His fingers slid through her hair, feeling the texture against his coarse hand. Her head tilted against his hand as she let a soft sigh escape her, and he noticed that she apparently was enjoying having her head massaged. He'd have to remember that.

"Good morn-AAH! I'm sorry!" The two of them hastily pulled apart at the sound of Donnie's high squeaking, both breathless yet extremely embarrassed. Raphael and April stared at each other in awe and disappointment, the moment lost to the younger turtle discovering them. With a deep sigh, Raphael gave her one more nuzzle against her head before he gently placed her on the couch next to him and sat up. They both looked to the mortified and sheepish genius, who was nervously giving his glasses a thorough cleaning.

"Donnie..." Raph began to speak, and Donnie visibly flinched. "Chillax...I'm not going to pound you or something..."

"I'm sorry! It was an accident!" Donnie yelped.

"You accidentally woke up and walked into the living room? Are you sleepwalking?" April raised a brow playfully, and Raphael smirked at her joke.

"N-No...I...I didn't mean to...l-look..." Donnie was stuttering, and April thought he was going to have a stroke, so she elbowed Raphael lightly and nodded at the other ninja. Raphael stood and walked over to his brother.

"We know...she was kidding. Don't worry about it, Don," Raphael patted him on the shoulder. "Things happen."

"I...I won't...say anything...to the others..." Donnie replied softly, surprised that he wasn't getting pummeled.

"We just..." Raphael paused, thinking of what to say. He frowned and scratched the back of his neck, and Donnie stood patiently, glancing between April and his older brother.

"I'm pretty smart, Raph," Donnie cut him off as he whispered so April couldn't hear him. "I can see what's going on. We all can. Just make sure it doesn't interfere with what we do. Make sure it doesn't hurt her."

"Now you sound like Sensei and Leo..." Raphael muttered under his breath.

"Well, they'd be 100% correct," Donnie agreed with a shrug, pushing his glasses back up onto his nose. "Morning to you, April! Do you want breakfast?" He turned back to her, raising his voice in a friendly tone.

"You cook breakfast?" she asked with interest, her stomach beginning to growl at the idea.

"Mmhmm. I've got eggs, bacon, toast..."

"Pop-Tarts with no icing..." she continued, and he blushed. With a gentle laugh, she stood up slowly and immediately swayed in her spot.

"Woah!" Raphael was by her side in a flash, holding her tight against him. "Easy!"

"I'm fine!" she said stubbornly, tightening her jaw. "I just stood up too fast." Raphael frowned and slowly released her when she waved him off. "Bacon and toast sounds wonderful, Donnie. Thank you." When the genius scurried off, mumbling under his breath about hormones, she walked around the room for awhile to test her body's limits.

"I'm...I'm sorry..." Raphael told her after his thoughts began to consume him. "I shouldn't have done that..." The young woman turned back to him, a puzzled look of hurt on her face.

"You regret it?" she asked him after a moment of hesitance.

"N-no!" Raphael stared at her, shaking his head quickly. "I...I'm just afraid that you do..."

"Why would I?" she returned. He began to pace back and forth, a sign to her that he getting agitated. "Look...I'll be in the dojo when you think of an answer..." Raphael groaned in frustration as he heard her footsteps moving away. He turned when she had left the room and followed her silently from a distance, his hulking figure leaning against the doorway as he watched the small woman walk over to the punching bag and start using it. Her hits barely moved it, but she kept punching until she whimpered and shook out her throbbing hand.

"Could you not break your hand?" Raphael spoke aloud, his deep voice echoing into the room. She sent a glare his way as he entered the space and walked towards her. His hands circled the punching bag, holding it steady for her.

"Lesson one in hand-to-hand...always focus your anger on a certain person or thing in your mind...imagine it on the face of your attacker...channel all of your rage into your fight." Listening to his voice, she closed her eyes and tried to focus. A certain image popped up into her mind that had her slugging the punching bag pretty hard a few times before stopping and taking a gasp of breath.

"Let me guess...my face was on the bag?" Raphael tried to make a weak joke.

"Sacks...I thought of when he told me he killed my dad..." April pushed back from the bag and inspected her aching hands, avoiding Raphael. Raph's smile faded immediately as he sighed and hung his head, about to form an apology. "Why would you think for a second that I would regret you kissing me?" The turtle took a moment before looking up at her, and the amount of pain and fear in his eyes tore at her heart.

"Look at me..." he whispered dejectedly. "Look at what I am...and then look at you..."

"Raph..." she tried to interject, but he took her hands and leaned down so he could put them against his face.

"Look...at...me...April," he commanded sadly. "I'm a mutant freak...and you are this exquisite, beautiful, confident woman who could go anywhere, do anything...be anyone you want to be...and you deserve..." He was silenced when she pulled his lips onto hers. Yet, it still wasn't intense. Her lips were soft and tender as she stroked his cheek with her thumb. He responded after the initial shock wore off, his hands wrapping around her back to pull her in closer. After they kissed like this for a minute or two, she pulled away just enough to look at his face.

"I look at you every day. You are handsome...I'm a mess...and I deserve whatever the hell I want," she finished his sentence and then took a deep inhale through her nose. A look of content hunger appeared on her face as she turned towards the door.

"Breakfast is ready, everyone!" Donnie hollered from the kitchen. She smiled at Raphael, who was staring at her through half-closed eyes with an extremely delighted grin.

"And right now...I want some damn bacon."


End file.
